The rebuild in Washington just started, but the fanbase already can't wait to get on the other side of the movement.
It's easy to understand why the fans have grown a bit impatient over the years considering the Wizards lack of remaining competitive years prior to the team finally pulling the trigger on the long awaited rebuild.
However, Rome wasn't built in a day and for the Wizards to turn things around, it's going to take time for the organization to find the right pieces.
Washington has taken several swings over the course of the last few years.
Landing multiple lottery picks, with the like of Deni Avidja, Bilal Coulibaly, Alex Sarr, Bub Carrington and now Tre Johnson coming to mind.
Avdija's time in Washington has come to an end, Sarr and Carrington have been given more grace as they're currently entering their second season in the league and Johnson has plenty of hype surrounding him as the season continues to progress.
However, Coulibaly hasn't been given the same room for error as other prospects on the roster.; which is partly due to the fact the French product is entering his third season in the league
Despite that, the oversized guard still has plenty of potential and unique skillsets that offer optimism to the team's front office and coaching staff that make them believe there's still plenty of time for him to prove to be important to the team's future.
In fact, general manager Will Dawkins did a great job putting into perspective exactly why the Wizards fanbase should be optimistic about Coulibaly moving forward.
Wizards GM Will Dawkins said Bilal Coulibaly’s still 3 or 4 years from hitting his prime.
— Ben Strober (@strobersports) November 5, 2025
At 21, Coulibaly is still one of the youngest and most raw prospects on the team.
As a prospect who entered the league as a ball of clay Washington was hoping to mold into an elite two-way player, he's shown signs of being able to be that guy in stretches.
There's plenty to like about how far he's come in three seasons and with the right developmental plan in place, there's no reason that Coulibaly can't continue to improve, especially if he puts the work in like he's suggested more than willing to do.
Year three shouldn't be a make-or-break season for Coulibaly, especially if he's able to show improvement from last season.
Beyond his EuroBasket struggles, the guard has shown enough promise for the front office to be optimistic.
All that to say, fans should be giving Coulibaly the same room for error that the team's decision makers are giving moving forward.